Aussie Rob Wilkinson on making history by winning $1.5million in the Professional Fighters League
EXCLUSIVE: Aussie, who made MMA history by winning $1.5 million in the Professional Fighters League, opens up about learning from his old foe Israel Adesanya and breaking a metal plate in his hand while drunk.
- Australian Rob Wilkinson won $1.5 million in 2022
- MMA star plans to be the best in the world
- Wilkinson fights on Sunday, April 2
Rob Wilkinson, who made history last year by becoming the first Australian to win a PFL World Championship title, spoke about his plans for 2023 and his desire to be the best light heavyweight on the planet.
Wilkinson, 31, had a brief stint in the UFC as a middleweight, which ended when he was defeated by future champion Israel Adesanya in 2018.
The Tasmanian has since moved to the United States to train and reshape himself as a light heavyweight, and the results speak for themselves.
‘Razor’ hasn’t lost a fight in his new weight class and made $1.5 million last year by winning the Professional Fighters League light heavyweight title.
It was unreal. Winning a world title has always been one of my goals,” Wilkinson told Daily Mail Australia.
Wilkinson (pictured punching) earned $1.5 million for winning the Professional Fighters League last year, dwarfing what many UFC fighters earn for their fights.
Wilkinson, 31, had a brief stint in the UFC as a middleweight that ended when he was defeated by future champion Israel Adesanya in 2018.
‘Earning that money has made a huge difference. It makes everything a little easier for me here in the United States.
Then I went on vacation with my girlfriend and then I came back and bought a Porsche.
Wilkinson credits training with Adesanaya after his loss in the UFC as part of the reason he is now having such success.
His coach called me to see if I would like to go and train with him to help him prepare. I took that opportunity to train for about a month. I learned a lot.
“Something I don’t remember is being told they turned down the UFC for several years until Izzy was ready to go straight to the top. And that’s exactly what she did.
‘When I signed for the UFC, I was ready for it, but I wasn’t ready to fight the best. That stayed with me.
“I’m just getting started and reaching my prime now.”
Wilkinson loves training MMA, but admits it has taken a toll on his body over the years.
Wilkinson credits training with Adesanaya after his loss in the UFC as part of the reason he is now having such success.
The Australian will fight former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos on April 1 when the new PFL season kicks off.
“I went through a phase where I would break my hand. I broke it in a fight and they put a plate on me. Then I broke it again. Then after he healed, I broke another bone in my hand,” he said.
‘Then when that healed, I kind of broke the plate. I think I did it drunk while fooling around with friends.
“I ended up having surgery on my hand four times in two years. He became upset.
The Australian will next fight former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos on April 1, when the new PFL season kicks off.
Santos lost by a very narrow margin to superstar Jon Jones in 2019, and Wilkinson says he is looking forward to the challenge.
‘Obviously it’s a great name. The fight really excites me. I want to be recognized as the best light heavyweight in the world, so I need to fight these best.
‘I think I’ll lock him up early or maybe a late introduction.’
You can watch all the action in the Professional Fighters League at stan sport.